Grain-cleaner.



No. 818,944. PATENTED APR. 24, 1906. A. w. means. GRAIN CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7, 1905.

JF VF/ZE/ 05/10 3. K422053297 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GRAIN-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 24. 1906.

Application filed July 7,1905. Serial No. 268,743.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AMos W. EACIIES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rosemont, county of Montgomery, and State of Pennsylvania,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Grain-Cleaners, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvementin grain-cleaners,and has for its object to provide a cleaner in which the grain travelsdownward over a successive series of sieves, and while travelingdownward the lighter dust is blown away from the grain by a series offans, and these fans are operated from power generated by the falling ofthe grain W'ith these ends in view this invention consists in thedetails of construction and combination of elements hereinafter setforth and then specifically designated by the claim.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may under stand how to make and use the same, theconstruction and operation will now be described in detail, referring tothe accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in whichis illustrated a longitudinal vertical section through my improveddevice.

A represents the hopper in which the grain to be cleaned is located. Ais a small opening at the lower end of the hopper through which thegrain falls into the cleaning device.

B is the power-wheel journaled in the framework of the device underneaththe hopper. The periphery of said power-wheel is provided with a seriesof pockets or buckets B, and the wheel is so located that the stream ofgrain falling from the hopper will strike the wheel tangentially, andthus the pockets or buckets B will fill upon one side and cause thepower-wheel to revolve and opcrate much in the same manner as anovershot water-wheel. The grain in falling from the pockets or bucketsof the power-wheel will fall upon an incline screen C and will pass fromsaid screen downward to a second screen C, then upon another inclinescreen and so on downward. There may be as many screens used as desired.There is a difference between the lower end of one screen and the higherend of the other screen, so that the grain must fall a distance from onescreen to the other, and in thus falling is subjected means of fans D,and the air in passing through this lighter dust to a blast of airgenerated, preferably, by I stream of falling grain blows the i from thegrain, said dust passing through openings E, which communicate I withthe dust-chutc F. There are inclined boards G, arranged underneath eachinclined screen, which will catch the dust and dirt passing through thescreen and convey it to the chute F. The clean grain after passing fromoff the last screen and being subjected to the last blast of air thenpasses into the grainchute H to a suitable receptacle.

The principal feature of my invention consists in utilizing the fallingof the grain for generating power to cause the blast of air for thecleaning of the grain. The power may be taken from the power-wheel B inany desired manner. That means shown in the drawing consists in formingwith the powerwheel a beveled gearwheel I, meshing with the beveledgear-wheel J, and upon the same shaft with the gear-wheel J is arrangeda pulley K, from which, by means of belts or chains, the power istransmitted to the fanshafts.

Of course other means could be employed for generating the blast of air,such as bellows or by means of a reservoir or compressed air, for thepower-wheel could be utilized to compress the air within the reservoirand then be directed to the proper place by means of pipes.

If desired, the agitator L could be located in the hopper to keep thegrain from clogging, and this agitator could also be operated throughpower generated by the wheel B.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction hereshown, as slight modifications could be made without departing from thespirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and usefulis In combination, an inclosed casing having a hopper at one end andterminating at the opposite end in a series of chutes, screens withinthe casing inclined in opposite directions and arranged one beneath theother and positioned intermediate the hopper and the chutes, each ofsaid screens terminating at a point away from the walls of the casing,inclined partitions arranged beneath each screen, the lower edge of thescreen being secured to an upper edge of a partition, awheel afiixed mySignature in the presence of two arranged Within the casing adapted tobe revolved by a substance discharged from the chute of the casing, fansextending Within 5 the casing, said fans being rotated by the action ofthe Wheel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribing Witnesses.

AMOS W. EACHES.

Witnesses:

MILTON R. YERKEs, DAVID KNAPHLE.

